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Several Rogue Valley companies have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to employee training and team-oriented management. On July 20, 1999, the Rogue Valley Workforce Development Council and Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SOREDI) teamed up to recognize four of these outstanding organizations.
The award winners were nominated by their peers and then asked to provide detailed information on the following criteria:
- In-house training currently provided
- Wages paid that exceed or show progress toward Oregon's "average covered wage"
- Upward mobility from within
- Accomplishments that can be modeled by others
- Upgrading employee skill levels
- Unique "Learning Organization" type relationships with employees
- Tuition aid
- Professional development plans
- Active support for GED's
- Collaboration with educational institutions
- Proven connection between education/training and reduced turnover.
Nominees were classified into one of four categories: Non-profit, Small (less than 20 employees), Medium (20 to 100 employees) and Large (100+ employees). Each award recipient received a recognition plaque and a $1,000 workforce training scholarship grant.
Non-Profit Organization: SPARC Enter-prises of Grants Pass
For more than two decades, SPARC Enterprises has helped put develop-mentally disabled individuals to work, allowing them to be independent members of our community. Their management philosophy recognizes that human service organizations are only as good as the performance of those who work for them. In 1990, SPARC implemented the Total Quality Management philosophy--leading to higher employee satisfaction and low turnover.
Small Company: No nominations were received for companies with less than 20 employees.
Medium Company: Herb Pharm, Inc. in Williams
As a startup company in 1979, Herb Pharm was a family owned business working out of the owner's kitchen. Today, they employ over 65 people and are planning to build a larger facility. The company philosophy of "Grow your own Quality" has not changed over the years. Herb Pharm still uses only the best raw materials and insists on excellent leadership to sustain the business' growth.
Medium Company: Fiberoptic Lighting of Grants Pass
After a decade in the fiber optics industry and with ongoing concerns about the bottom line, Fiberoptics Lighting was sold and the new owners set out, in 1997, to develop an "Extraordinary Organization." They began an employee health care plan and hired a consultant to help the staff build a team and improve communication skills. Employees are as much a part of the organization's planning and implementation decisions as management.
Large Company: U.S. Cellular in Medford
This is the 11th largest cellular company in the country with over 200 employees and a 28% growth rate. The volatile tech-nology market they work with every day dictates that employees must embrace change and use teamwork to grow. The company focuses on associate cross training and supervisor/associate mentoring as well as developing the kind of leadership they require for future challenges. Open communication, regular recognition and a competitive compensation package have made them an employer-of-choice in the Rogue Valley.
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